Shooter Steps High, Cuts Backdoor

When defenses are fixated on overplaying your scorer, have the player take a step high, receive a backdoor screen and score on an over-the-top lob pass at the hoop.

Why use it

The best way to force a defense from constantly jumping the perimeter on your talented shooter is to send the shooter backdoor behind the defense.

Set up

From a Horns set in which your two posts are located at opposite elbows and your other two guards are in opposite corners, your point guard is dribbling at the top shaded to the side away from your top scorer.

How to play

Your scorer (3 in this instance) takes a step high out of the corner, which brings the defender away from the baseline. On this step, 5 runs toward 3 and sets a backscreen. 3 uses the screen to come free along the baseline. 4 steps high to set a ball screen as 2 dives toward the hoop [diagram 1].

1 uses the ball screen to gain a step on the defense, then lofts a lob toward the rim for 3 [diagram 2].

3 elevates, catches the ball and scores before landing, which eliminates any chance of a defender recovering in time [diagram 3].

Technique

Be sure 4 sets a solid ball screen for 1 and 1 dribbles hard off it. If either player is hesitant, it ruins the timing of the lob pass and the opportunity is gone.

1. Start with the ball near the top shifted to the opposite side of the person who is to receive the lob pass — this helps set up the ball screen and creates a better passing angle to the hoop

2. Here is your top scorer who keeps getting jumped on the perimeter — have the scorer take a step or two high, then sprint back toward the baseline off 5’s screen

3. 1 dribbles left then cuts back to effectively use the ball screen and gain a step on the defenders

4. 3 elevates and catches the pass high so he or she is impossible to defend by recovering players

5. 3 shoots and scores before landing to utilize the advantage gained by the back screen and lob pass